An Eye for an Eye
by nurzubesuch
Summary: The funeral is over. Carlton is back to work and surprisingly well while working on his new case. But when Shawn learns who the men are who got shot like executed he starts to wonder. Has Lassie done the unthinkable? Sequel to Something To Shoot For
1. Games and Murders

**This story is the Sequel to my other stories "In Case of Murder" and "Something To Shoot For". You might want to read those first.**

**Disclaimer: I don´t own anything.**

* * *

><p><strong>Games and murders<strong>

The Psych-Office lay abandoned. It had been abandoned the whole day and there was a reason. This reason was the football game at the stadium that was today. Gus had gotten the tickets a month ago and he had took a day off from work so he and the others could go there. He, Shawn, Jules and Henry, the old football-maniac. They had asked Lassiter if he wanted to join them too but he had denied. Every question from Jules if he wouldn´t give it a chance for the sake of the healing process he had answered with his usual I-deny-everything tone. Lassiter wasn´t healing because he wasn´t injured. The robot-man. If one had no feelings he couldn´t get hurt. Sometimes Gus wondered if the man was still sane. One didn´t just see his wife (not even his ex-wife) being murdered in such a cruel way without being effected by that. Especially not Lassiter. But that was what he wanted everybody to believe. True he had taken his time off … to arrange the funeral and everything that was part of this sad process. But only a week after that was done he had returned to work. And that Gus reckoned, wasn´t that healthy at all. It just couldn´t be.

But what could they do? They all had tried everything they could to give him some support. Juliet the most of course. But also he and Shawn and even Henry had given the man some calls aka visits to ask if he needed something. He had politely denied it each time. Juliet had been the only one who had managed it to talk to him a few times, so everything they knew about his recovery came from her. Until he had showed up to work again the other day. Chief Vick had asked worriedly if he was sure, he was sure he was ready and he had assured her that he was very sure. Getting back on the horse was the best way to let life go on, he´d said and who knew, maybe it was. At least he seemed better. If he really was no one would ever be able to tell.

But he was doing his job the way he had always done it. He showed up in the morning, neatly dressed, shaved and without smelling like liqueur. He wasn´t at the edge more than usual so the chief had no reason to fear he could be a risk for himself or others. He was functioning. Only sometimes there were moments when he zoned out for a moment, his eyes somewhere far away as if he was sleepy in the middle of the day. In these moments he looked as if he was about to cry, Juliet said. But they never lasted longer than a few seconds. As soon as she addressed him, he was back to his old (almost his old) self.

No, Lassiter wouldn´t accept any help and the only reason he had given them for not wanting to come to the game, was also very well known. He had to work. Not even Juliet´s usually intriguing argumentations had been able to change his mind. So they had let him be and went to the game without him. What else could they do anyway?

But now that they were here, Gus couldn´t help but wished that Lassiter would have come with them after all. He might have been able to do something against those rowdies. The fight had started two rows behind them and now it had spread itself almost over the whole rank. Unbelievable what some drunken dudes with an insane hatred for the other team could do when they had mistaken the rank in their drunk condition. Or maybe it wasn´t a mistake and they had come over here to make trouble on purpose. Gus didn´t know. The only thing he knew was that they suddenly had found themselves right in the middle of a fanfight extraclass and that there were flying fists, amongst other flying things. One of them was a half emptied beerbottle that came flying in his direction.

He had been lucky enough to duck down in time. Shawn on the other hand had stood right behind him and he hadn´t heard his cry for hitting the deck. The next thing Gus had heard was Shawn groaning and Juliet and Henry crying his name unisono. Then Shawn lay between the seats an already growing goose egg on his forehead. Fortunately the bottle hadn´t hit him fully but only graced him. But his friend had been knocked down pretty well anyway. He came back to when the first security guys showed up to end the fight. Gus had never been so happy to leave a game early.

Finally they were on their way out, Juliet almost carrying Shawn for the most part of the way, while he was whining and groaning. Gus rolled his eyes.

„Dude." he said. „You know, that´s embarrassing."

„Only if one is not in desperate need of some care that he obviously doesn´t get from his best friend … nor from his father."

„Shawn, I saw you hit more badly at the schoolyard by a girl names Rosalie Johnson when you were eight." Henry replied.

„Right. And she was armed with a loaded schoolbag."

Gus just chuckled and rolled his eyes again.

„What a shame that Lassie missed this." Shawn said. „He would have had his fun with that."

„You know that´s right." Gus replied but a second later he wondered. The situation for the head detective wasn´t that funny after all. He could see in Shawn´s face that he remembered that after his joke too. So did Juliet and Henry.

They reached their cars and got ready to get in when Juliet´s cell phone rang.

„O´Hara." she answered it. „Carlton." Everybody looked at her. „We were just talking about you. I didn´t know you already heard. Don´t worry, Shawn is ok. He has just a goose-egg on his head but otherwise he is …"

Gus exchanged a surprised look with his friend. Did Lassiter really call because he was worried? When they looked at Juliet again they knew he hadn´t. She had just frowned in confusion.

„Oh." she said. „If you didn´t call because of that then why …? Oh. I understand. I´m on my way."

„What is it?" Gus asked after she´d hung up.

„Crime scene." she told them. „Sorry guys I have to go."

„Wow, wait, what kind of crime scene?" Shawn asked. „A murder?"

„Yes, Shawn, that´s what it usually means." she said packing her cell phone away and fumbling for her car keys.

„I thought Lassie was still on the desk." Shawn replied. „You know … after what happened."

„He was." Juliet confirmed. „Until last week. The chief found him ready to go outside again."

„How didn´t we hear about that?"

„Maybe because you were too distracted with the game scores to notice anything else." Gus said.

„Me? Why just me? What about you?"

„I knew he was in the field again."

„You did? Why didn´t you tell me?"

„I did. I told you last Tuesday."

„You didn´t."

„Yes, I did."

„Guys. I need to go." Juliet interrupted and passed right through them to get to her car.

„Wait." Shawn cried after her. „We´re coming with you."

„We do?" Gus asked.

„Yes. He´ll probably need our help with his first homicide after … you know."

„I´m not so sure, Shawn." Gus argued halfhearted but if he had been completely honest he wasn´t sure if Lassiter was good on his own either. He just didn´t want to go to a crime scene right now. He had had enough violence for one day.

„Believe me, I was worried too." Juliet said. „But he is doing good."

„Are you sure?" Shawn asked without expecting a yes as an answer. When he got no answer at all, he knew he was right. „Look." he said. „I just wanna be there for him … just in case he needs us."

Gus frowned confused about this. Juliet frowned too but she was less surprised than Gus.

„Wow." she said. „You really mean that, do you?"

„Of course, I mean it." Shawn said a little offended. „What makes you think I would …" he shook his head not exactly sure how he wanted to put it himself.

„All right, all right." she said. „I´m sorry." She thought it over for a second and then nodded. „All right. But don´t try to cheer him up with jokes or anything. He´ll not react positively on that."

„How do you know that?"

„Hey." Henry chipped in waving from next to his truck.

„Because I tried." Juliet answered Shawn´s question before turning to Henry again.

„Oh."

„Is anyone riding with me today, or can I go?" Henry wanted to know.

Juliet and Shawn looked over at Gus. Since they had come with Henry, he was without a car. Gus hesitated for a second. Then he said: „No, I´m going with them, I guess."

Henry threw up both of his hands. „Finally." he said and got in the car.

...

They rode with Juliet until they reached the crime scene, what turned out to be a house in a neat neighbourhood. The crime scene tape around the yard and the gathering people, made it look outstanding on this late afternoon.

When they entered the house detective Lassiter was leaned over the dead body, watching the CSI men doing their investigation.

„I´d say this man was shot from a short distance." the coroner told him. „More we can´t say before the autopsie."

„All right." Lassiter replied. „Get him out." When he turned around he spotted Juliet and the two uninvited guests. „What are they doing here?" he asked.

„We are also glad to see you, Lassie." Shawn replied.

Lassiter looked at him with an undefinable face. „I thought you would be lying in hospital with your head all wrapped up." he said.

„It … was just a bottle." Shawn replied startled. „Didn´t even got me fully."

„I´m talking about this other problem of yours." Lassiter answered and after a meaningful glance he turned around. Juliet grinned.

„I told you, he´s doing good." she said.

„Yeah. Hilarious." Shawn grumbled. He threw a look around. The first thing he noticed was the dead body. He was lying on his back as if he had dropped like a cardboard character after he had been shot. He didn´t see it coming. The next thing was the door. It was perfectly in order. No sign of violent entering. So this man did either never lock his door or he had let the killer in.

„What are you doing?" Lassiter suddenly asked. Shawn turned around and looked at him startled. So did Jules and Gus. At least he wasn´t the only one who had no idea what this was about. He was just about to say something when Lassiter already went on.

„No." he said. „Don´t say it. I don´t need your help. Get out of here."

Shawn pointed behind him and opened his mouth but again Lassiter was faster.

„I don´t need you to tell me." he snapped. „I already know that the door wasn´t broken and I also know that the man probably knew his killer. Again: I don´t need your help."

„But do you also know that …?" Shawn replied completely serious.

Lassiter took in a deep breath to not to slap him. He gave him a look and then simply repeated: „Out."

„Gladly." Shawn replied. „Seems you´ve got everything covered up."

Lassiter didn´t give a response but turned around to keep doing his work. Shawn, Gus and Juliet exchanged a glance.

„I feel like we´re back to the beginning of our relationship." Shawn grumbled. „Anyway. Glad that you´re better." he said a little more sincere this time. Then he turned around to leave. Lassiter halted in his steps for a second but didn´t turn around. Then he went on walking through the house.

„See you later." Shawn whispered at Juliet before getting out and she gave him a nod.

Outside he turned to Gus with a horrified face. „Did you see that?" he asked.

„What do you mean? The dead body? Execution stile I´d say."

„No."

„No?"

„No. I´m talking about Lassie."

Gus shrugged. „He seems to be back to his old self."

„Exactly." Shawn said. „His old old self. It´s worse than I thought. Gus. He´s regressing. I think he completely forgot the last five years. That must be some aftereffect of his emotional trauma."

„So now you´re starting to use psychological terms?"

„Psychological what?"

„I will not have this conversation with you right now." Gus insisted. „You should be glad for Lassie that he is recovering so good."

„Didn´t you just listen?" Shawn cried. „He is NOT recovering. Not at all."

„And what could possible qualify you to decide that?"

„Because I was there, Gus."

„So was I. And Juliet. And the chief. And we all think he is better."

„But I am the psychic."

„I´m going home, Shawn."

„Don´t you find it weird how he is acting?"

„What? That he is back to work? Some people need their work for coping, Shawn."

„But … he´s so out of character now."

„Why?" Gus asked. „Because he doesn´t want us on his crime scene? Or because he dumped you? Or because he is not shivering and bubbling like a maniac? Face it, Shawn. The man has more stamina than you gave him credit for. End of the story."

Shawn watched Gus walk down the street for some steps until his friend stopped and looked back at him. Shawn sighed.

„Maybe you´re right." he said and caught up with him.

„Of course I am."

„Maybe we should just let him be and trust him to find his way on his own."

„Sounds good."

„By the way, where are we going?"

„To my place. I can give you a ride home."

„You want to walk all the way to your place?" Shawn cried.

„It´s three streets from here." Gus explained not believing his friend hadn´t recognized the neighbourhood.

Shawn looked around in surprise. „Oh." he said. „Right."


	2. Im helping you if you want it or not

**I´m helping you if you want it or not**

Shawn entered the police station, heading straight for the bullpen. When he came there Lassiter was just about to stand up from his desk. When he noticed Shawn his features became rigid.

„Spencer. Why are you here?" he asked instead of greeting him. „Didn´t I tell you to stay away from this case?"

„I´m not here because of the case." Shawn said. „I just wanted to pay a visit. You know, say Hello to a friend."

„How touching." Lassiter replied full of sarcasm. „Hello. Mission accomplished. Now you can go."

The detective had already turned around to walk away.

„Just one question." Shawn called him back. He waited until Lassiter was facing him again. Then he asked: „How long do we know each other?"

„Five … wonderful years." Lassiter answered in a mocking tone.

„Good." Shawn replied rather serious. „I almost thought you´d forgotten these last five years."

Lassiter´s face turned gloomy again. „I have some news for you, Spencer." he said. „Some people actually try to forget certain things."

„But forgetting don´t make them go away." Shawn replied knowing that the topic of their talk had changed.

„Eventually they might." the detective said after a long look. His voice was husky and his eyes said clearly: Don´t keep this up, it might end ugly.

„Shawn." Juliet´s voice called him with some surprise. „What are you doing here?"

„He only came by to say Hello." Lassiter answered the question for him, now sounding as mocking as always. He gave Shawn a look that repeated the warning from before.

„Yes." Shawn agreed. He turned briefly to Jules and gave her a smile. „And now I will leave." he said. „Sorry, Jules. Usually I would love to chat with you a little but today I can´t. Call of duty." He waved after the already retrieving head detective. „Bye, Lassie." he called. „Glad you´re okay." A little softer he added: „Bye, Jules. See ya later."

Then he turned around and left. His smile faded on his way out and by the time he was on the street it was entirely gone. If anyone would have ever predicted him some years ago, even some months ago, that worry about this stubborn and rigid head detective´s condition could ever cause him not to smile, he would have called him crazy and personally dialed the number of the nearest mental institute for him. But right now the unthinkable had happened. He was standing on the street in the brightest sunshine, on a nice day with a case to look forward to and he didn´t find himself able to enjoy it.

The simple reason for that was what he had seen in Lassiter´s eyes before. Despite of that mocking tone the head detective had used, that would have sounded completely natural and well known in any other situation, there had been something else beneath that surface. Lassiter had shown it only for a second but that had been enough. He didn´t want to admit it, but the death of his wife was still on his mind and hurting him. Maybe more than he could stand, at least on his own. This old stubborn guy would never bring himself to admit that, let alone asking for help. Sure he had seen the department´s psychologist but he´d done that because the chief had made him. Shawn was sure as soon as he had seen his chance, he had been out of the door. No, he wouldn´t accept any help, not Carlton Lassiter. The more reason for Shawn to give him this so badly needed help, even if he had to force it on him. And he would start by the only way he knew would work. By helping him solve that case.

So he drove over to the place where they had been yesterday, to have a look around the dead guy´s neighbourhood. He was more than surprised when he saw a small blue Echo parked on the curbside as soon as he got there. Gus came walking back to his car from one of the houses just when Shawn put his helmet down. When he spotted him he stopped in his tracks for a moment, a look on his face like someone who has been caught in the act by doing something forbidden. This moment lasted maybe two or three seconds. Then he walked on as if nothing had happened.

„Dude." Shawn said when he reached him. „What are you doing here?"

„What do you mean?" Gus asked. „I´m working."

„No, you´re not. This isn´t your route."

„Okay. Maybe I´m not working right _now_." Gus admitted. „But I need to go back on my route in a few minutes. I made a brake."

„You´re investigating the murder." Shawn grinned and pushed his friend´s shoulder. „Man, I knew it."

Gus rolled his eyes. „This man was murdered close to my neighbourhood." he then said. „Of course I´m investigating."

„Oooor … you wanted to help Lassie." Shawn teased him. „Just like me."

„I´m not so sure."

„Aaw, come on."

Gus shrugged. „Whatever." he said to get over that subject.

Shawn was still grinning. He couldn´t help himself. It was just a good feeling to know that he wasn´t the only one who thought Lassie still needed some support. After last night´s conversations he had thought neither Gus nor Jules would see that anymore. The way they had tried to convince him that Lassie was okay and that he could cope pretty good on his own. But this here proved that at least Gus didn´t believe that. And Shawn couldn´t believe that Jules did either.

„So what have we got?" he asked Gus.

Gus looked around for a second as if he was afraid somebody could listen in on their talk. Then he told Shawn in a confidently lowered voice: „Some of the neighbours say they´ve seen a strange car parked outside of Brady´s house yesterday. Somewhat around five in the afternoon. The driver got out of the car and went over to Brady´s house they say. They didn´t know for sure if he went inside though. But it sounds suspicious don´t you think?"

„Suspicious enough at least." Shawn agreed. „Did they tell that to Lassie and Jules?"

„Yes, they did. But they couldn´t give any plate numbers. Only a description." At this point Gus became reluctant to go on, Shawn noticed.

„What?" he asked. „What did they say how it looks like?"

„They said it looked like … like K.I.T.T." Gus told him with a funny look on his face.

Shawn´s jaw just dropped open when he heard that. „Are you kiddin?" he asked. „Are you talking about the K.I.T.T.?"

„The Knight Rider-K.I.T.T." Gus affirmed with a nod.

„Did … Did they describe the driver?" Shawn wanted to know.

„It wasn´t David Hasselhoff, Shawn."

„Are you sure about that?"

„Shawn."

„Okay okay." Shawn had to make himself think straight again. „If there is really a car that looks like K.I.T.T. it should be easy to find him. It. And talk to him. The driver."

„How do you suggest we find him?"

Shawn shrugged. „Driving around?"

„Good idea. You know my boss is checking the tachometer. I can´t drive around randomly. That´s a company car. Besides, I wasn´t joking when I said I need to go back driving my round soon."

„Good. Than you keep your eyes open by driving your route and I keep my eyes open by not driving your route."

„Works for me."

„See you then."

„Call me if you find him."

„Of course I do. Gus. What do you think about me?"

He gave his best friend a bright smile that could have been mischievous. Gus still looked mistrusting at him but got into his car all the same. Shawn really had to force back his chuckles. Oh, how he loved it to tease him. Gus would probably think the whole way about the possibilities and how the odds were for Shawn to really call him the second he found that car, instead of having all the fun with it alone.

The worst thing about that was, that Gus knew that. He knew Shawn had wanted to tease him and to drive him halfway to county Crazy with that. And the worst part of it was, that even though he knew it, it still worked. Shawn knew exactly how much he´d loved K.I.T.T. when he was a boy. To tease him with the possibility to stand right next to this car or to even touch it, was just inhumanly mean. He wouldn´t do that, would he? Not calling him as soon as he found it. No, of course he wouldn´t. Not even Shawn could be so mean. Still Gus found himself looking into his rearview mirror again and again for some reason. Hadn´t that car back there looked a little like … no it was just a blue Mercedes. Maybe he still could delay his next appointment and circle the streets instead, he mused. Just for thirty minutes or so. Longer he wouldn´t need to check the streets around.

But then he was already there and his musing if he should go to Dr. Louisano´s office right away were useless. He was here and he would do his job. A product didn´t sell itself after all. He got his suitcase out of the car and closed the door. He didn´t intend to look over the street for a special reason, just to check the traffic before he crossed it. But in the moment his eyes met the front of the business hotel on the other side, they stopped frozen on what was standing there. For at least a minute he was not able to move nor to look away. Then his hand reached into his pocket as if it had an own free will and took his cell phone out. He pressed Shawn´s speed dial button without having to look at it. After the second ring he got an answer.

„Shawn." he said still unable to take his eyes off that car. „You won´t believe what is standing here."

„Dude. Don´t you go near that car before I´m there." Shawn cried and then he hung up.

It took him barely ten minutes to come rushing on his bike. Now it was him who was concerned that he might miss to see K.I.T.T. closely. Wouldn´t that be a joke? After his little joke he had allowed himself with Gus, that it would be Gus who would tell him how awesome it had been, while he would fume about the fact that he´d missed it. That was somehow not right. That was not the way things like that were supposte to happen. That was against the rules.

At least Gus was waiting for him. When he drove up to him and parked his bike next to Gus´ car he was standing there, watching the car from the other side. But he was waiting. Shawn almost couldn´t believe it. If he´d been forced to wait ten minutes literally in touching range of that awesome car, he´d probably gone mad. Alone seeing it now how it was standing there on the other side was almost too much for him.

„Dude." he exhaled.

„I know." Gus agreed.

„Did you see the driver?"

„Not yet."

„You think he´s got a room in that hotel?"

„If he would, don´t you think he would park that car in the garage? Leaving it outside like that is practically an invitation for a thief."

„Gus, don´t be Derrek on his last rerun before the show got canceled. K.I.T.T. has a bullet proved armour that is impossible to penetrate. No one´s gonna steal that car."

„You do realize that this is not the real K.I.T.T. from the show." Gus said.

„And?"

„The car was never really bullet proved, Shawn. It´s a film trick. That´s called make believe."

„How do you want to know?"

„First of all, I´m a rational thinking person and secondly I´m a member of the Knight Rider fan-page for years. I can describe you every stunt they ever did on the show. Besides the speaking panel is missing, so that isn´t even the same car."

„Wait. How do you know the speaker is missing?" Shawn asked looking at his friend´s blank face. „Oh, you cheater!" he cried. „You were over there without me. How could you?"

„If it had been you waiting for me, you hadn´t waited for me either. What was I supposte to do? Waiting over here and risking that the guy would come out and drive away and missing the opportunity of a lifetime in the process?"

„Of course. I´m your best friend. You know how much I love that car. One day I´ll buy one of those and then I´ll drive down the highway with it. Alone."

„Be my guest."

„Wrong. You´ll beg to be allowed to be my guest."

„Could we get back to focus on the case, Shawn?"

„Sure. But don´t think that I will ever forget this. You cheater."

Gus just shrugged and let Shawn lead the way over the street and to the car. He immediately got his cell phone out and started to take photos. Gus watched him for a while before addressing him. At the third Shawn! he finally got a reaction.

„What?" Shawn cried. „I´m collecting evidence. Isn´t that what the dudes in CSI always do? Shooting pictures?"

„Yeah, but this is not a crime scene, Shawn."

„We don´t know that. Maybe this car was there when the guy was shot. Maybe its driver was the killer. In this case this car might be our only witness."

„All right, Shawn. That´s enough. You might pretend talking to all kind of stuff when you do your acts. But get real when you talk to me okay?"

„May I help you with something?" a croaky voice asked them. They turned around and faced an old man with white hair and an even whiter beard, that was leaning on a cane. At first neither of them knew what to say nor had they any idea why he had offered them his help in the first place. But then he told them: „This is my car."

Both their mouths dropped open, what seemed to amuse the old man. „This … is your car?" Shawn stuttered.

„It is." the old man said proudly. He offered them his hand. „Martin Johnson." he introduced himself. „Sixty-nine years old and not a single bit mature when it comes about awesome cars."

„Shawn Spencer." Shawn replied struck. „This is my associate Cheekbone Billy Joel. We were just admiring this awesome piece of TV history."

„Ain´t it?" Martin Johnson said and lay a hand on the roof of his car. „Fulfilled an old childhood desire with that. Just bought it from an auction down in Utah. Now I´m on my way to bringin it home. But … I guess my days of navigating ships for the Navy are too long ago after all, cause I keep taking the wrong turns. Probably got lost five times since I started. Specially in this town. Seems to finally hit me. Long rides like this ain´t nothing for old folks like me. But I´ll find my way back home. Old dogs always do."

„I guess so." Shawn gave him a smile.

„So you´re saying that you just came to town?" Gus asked.

„That´s right, son. Probably should have taken the other highway going over San Diego instead. But what the hell. Now I´m here."

„Excuse me if I ask. But did you drive by Middleton Street yesterday, parking there on the curbside?"

„Damn, I was at so many different places yesterday. I told you. The longer I´m on the road the more I seem to have a thing for the wrong turns."

„I´m just asking because I happened to know someone who lives there and he told me, he saw this car parked there. He also said the driver got out and walked to the house of one of his neighbours."

The old man seemed to think for a moment. „Ah, yeah." he then said. „I stopped for a moment to have a look at the street map. When I couldn´t make much sense of it, I decided to ask someone for the way. Polite young man told me how to drive. Recommended this hotel so I could rest my old bones before going on. Really nice guy. You don´t meet many of the sort these days."

„You´re probably right about that." Shawn agreed.

„Well if you excuse me now. I really need to get going. I want to reach Los Angeles before it´s dark."

„It´s only ten in the morning." Gus pointed out.

„Well, yeah but if you´d know how often I took the wrong turn lately you´d understand my hurry."

Shawn and Gus gave the old man some obedient laughter and then watched him get in his car. Shawn raised his cell phone to shoot one last picture – of the car and the man.


	3. Bad JuJu

**Bad Ju-Ju**

„Jules." Shawn called over to the desk even before they were there.

„Where were you guys?" she asked.

„Out. Following some leads. Speaking of which. I have something for you." She was already blushing when he held up his cell phone and said: „A picture."

After her first confusion she looked at the picture and had to learn that the confusion wasn´t solved with that.

„Is that …?" she asked but didn´t finish.

„Yes, it is." Shawn affirmed brightly. „But in this case it´s actually more about the driver."

„We think that he might have been at the house of your victim from last night." Gus explained.

„Of course, some of the neighbours mentioned to have seen a car like that the day before." Juliet recalled flipping through her papers. „Here. They said it parked there for a few minutes. And that´s the driver? Where did you find him?"

„On my route." Gus told her proudly. „It was pure coincidence."

„Yeah and you took advantage of it without hesitation." Shawn accused him.

„I´m not apologizing for that. You would have done the same thing."

„That´s not the point. The point is that …"

„Guys." Juliet cried. „What am I supposte to do with this photo?"

„I dunno." Shawn shrugged. „I thought you might be able to … what´s the word? Compare it with photos of other bad guys."

„You really think that this old man has something to do with the murder?" Juliet asked doubtfully.

„He said he just asked for the way after taking the wrong turn." Gus supported her.

„Sure he said that." Shawn said. „But I want to be sure, you know. Isn´t that police 101? Not taking anything for granted? Alway double checking things?"

„Well, I can let the lab analyse it." Juliet said. „Letting the picture run through the database. Even though it´s not the best quality. But we actually already have a suspect."

„Who?" the two boys cried unisono.

„It´s a guy named Kenneth Booster." Juliet told them. „He worked with the victim in the same garage. A few days ago their boss heard them argue pretty hard about some money, they obviously share with a Mr. Mercer. Booster owes a 45. the exact same type of weapon that killed Brady. And he hasn´t showed up for work today."

„Then why don´t you bring him in for questioning?" Gus asked.

„We tried. We were at his house but he wouldn´t open. Carlton is on his way to get a warrant." she looked at her watch and frowned. „Actually he should be back already."

In this moment Lassiter strolled into the station in a rather good mood. He waved Juliet with the paper in his hand.

„I´ve got it, O´Hara." he told her. „Let´s go and get this skunk."

„Where do you come from?" Juliet asked confused.

„What do you mean?" he asked back at her.

She looked at her watch again. „You were out for at least an hour. Usually you need only half that time for a way like this."

„So what?" Lassiter opened his arms. „There´s traffic on the streets." He raised the paper in his hands again. „But I have good news. We´ll have our guy very soon now. Let´s go and get over there."

„Right now?" Juliet asked.

„´f course." Lassiter said. „I´m not waiting for that guy to get away. Spencer what is it?" he asked when Shawn had placed himself in his way so he had no choice but to notice him.

„Can we come along?" Shawn asked begging.

Lassiter looked into those put-on puppy eyes and sighed. „All right." he said while Juliet closed her files and got up from her desk. „But no touching of anything when we are in there and you don´t come in until we give the all clear. Got me?"

„Copie." Shawn said. „Can I have a gun?"

„NO!" Lassiter and Juliet cried unisono while Shawn and Gus followed them out of the station, Shawn laughing and Gus just excited about what they might find. Little did he know about what they _would_ find in the suspect´s house. One should think that after so many years he would have grown some sort of sixth sense for it. But neither of them seemed to have because they all were doing it just like always. After they´d driven over to the house, Lassiter and Juliet told them to wait in the car and then went to the door and knocked.

„S.B.P.D. Mr. Booster." Lassiter yelled. „We have a warrant for your house so you better open if you don´t want to buy a new door. I give you ten seconds."

Gus was literally hanging on the inside of his window, watching them. When Lassiter stepped back to kick the door open, he heard the passenger door being opened and swirled around in time to see Shawn getting out. The door was closed before he had a chance to call him back. Another thing he should have learned over the years. Of course Shawn wouldn´t wait until Lassiter allowed them to come. The only comfort he got was from the fact that Lassiter and Juliet hadn´t learned that lesson either. Cursing, Gus opened his own door and hurried after Shawn and into the house.

They had just entered the living room when Juliet demanded them to stop. Lassiter stood right in the middle of the room, before him the dead body of Mr. Kenneth Booster.

...

Shawn was back in the Psych office sitting on his computer. There were three names on the screen in front of him. The first name was Andrew Brady, who had also been the first guy who had got killed. The second name was Kenneth Booster. Weird enough to see them together in this context but along with this third name … it made Shawn´s bowels grumble. It wasn´t really the name that made him feel uneasy. He had never heard of an Alan Mercer. It was just the fact that this Mr. Alan Mercer was obviously befriend with those other two dudes. At least they had been doing business with each other. The fact that they´d argued about money indicated that. And more than that. What Shawn had found out with his digging made it look like … well it pretty much indicated that they were connected with …

The door was opened and Gus entered the office. He parked his suitcase in the corner and was about to sit down behind his own desk, when he noticed Shawn´s face.

„What is it?" he asked. „You look so concerned."

Shawn didn´t know what to say. „It´s …" he started and then started all over again. „These dead guys. They were both … You know, the dead guy´s house we were in yesterday? He was in Mexico lately. You saw the passports?"

„Sure." Gus affirmed after a moment of recalling.

„The other guy was too." Shawn explained. „Booster. I did some research. They were there the same time."

„So probably together." Gus deducted. „So what?"

Shawn just looked at him. „They were there three months ago." he finally said. „The date of their entry is May the 21st."

Now Gus understood his uneasiness. „That was the day Lassiter´s wife was killed." he remembered and sat down. „Oh, my gosh. You think that could be them? The guys that killed her and got away?"

„I … think there is a possibility that it could be them." Shawn said hesitating. „I mean it´s a strong coincidence in that date, isn´t it?"

„But you have no proof?"

Shawn opened his mouth to say something but then stopped and closed it again. „No." he finally admitted.

„Then it might be better not to tell Lassiter about that theory." Gus immediately suggested. „It could upset him. Or worse."

„I didn´t know you cared so much about his state of mind." Shawn tease halfhearted.

„I care about the possibility that he could snap and go out to shoot some random people, Shawn." Gus said. „Maybe starting with us."

„Don´t be silly." Shawn chuckled. „He wouldn´t do such a thing." He looked into Gus´ face and stopped laughing. „He wouldn´t, would he?" he asked uncertain.

„I´m not so sure about that." Gus stated sounding exactly like back in the days when they´d tried to prove Lassiter´s innocence when he had been charged of killing a suspect. „I just think it´s probably saver if we have proof before we load this on him." Gus now explained himself.

„Maybe you´re right." Shawn admitted. „We could start by tracking down their third travelling partner."

„Their what?"

„They were down in Mexico with another guy. He is listed as a translator. His name is Alan Mercer."

„A translator."

„Yes. Seems he´s working for a local translation agency here in Santa Barbara. We should check him out. Maybe he can tell us something about his two friends."

„If he isn´t dead already ass well." Gus added.

„Why would you say that?" Shawn asked.

„I don´t know. Experience with the former friend of the first victim? Mr. Kenneth Booster?

„Good point." Shawn said. „We better hurry. I drive."

Gus had barely time to hurry after him before he was out of the door.

...

They entered the translation agency "Trans-Semantics" and were greeted by a young woman sitting behind a desk. Shawn gave her his best charming smile.

„Hello." he said. „My name is Shawn Spencer. This is my associate Alexandre Holmsherlock." Gus was about to say something of his own when Shawn cut him off by saying: „He is Mexican and doesn´t speak a single word English. But he is a highly gifted author what brings me to the reason of our visit. We are looking for a translator to translate my good friend´s 5832 page novel into the English language. I believe a certain Mr. Alan Mercer works for you company. He was highly recommended to us."

The young woman, who´s nameplate read Ingrid Laverne, looked slightly confused. „Mr. Mercer is translator for the Finish language." she informed them.

„Exactly." Shawn replied after a brief consideration. „My friend´s novel is written in exactly that language."

„Didn´t you say he is Mexican?" Miss Laverne asked.

„That´s true. For exactly three years now. His family immigrated from Helsinki to Mexican City."

„But Holmsherlock sounds like a very English name for me though." she pointed out.

„It is an English name." Shawn admitted. „He changed it to be accepted by the community. It seems Finish people are not so well treated in Mexico City, especially around the Equatorial area. No one was more shocked about that than I was, believe me. But obviously the name Hunde Anleinen is not well seen in Mexico. Shocking." He got a sudden bump in the side from Gus. „But the name is not important anyway." he said and cleared his throat. „Is Mr. Mercer available?"

Miss Laverne turned around briefly to the desk behind hers. „I´m sorry but he already left for the day." she told them.

„Oh, what a shame." Shawn replied. „You don´t happen to have his home number by any chance? Or his address? It´s kindofa time issue, you see."

„I´m afraid we´re not allowed to give those information away." Miss Laverne said firmly. „If you want his services, you´ll have to wait until tomorrow."

Shawn only listened to her with one ear. His eyes had wandered over to the desk she had turned to for a second. It was a neat desk in perfect order, except of one thing that lay there and that didn´t belong to the usual daily business of this office. It was a cinema flyer. One film was circled and it was the show for four o´clock today. Now it was four thirty.

„That´s all right." he then said. „I guess it can wait that long. Thank you very much."

With that he turned around and left. Gus followed after giving Miss Laverne a friendly smile for his wordless goodbye since he wasn´t supposte to speak English as the Finish Mexican novel writer that he was.

„Where are we going, Shawn?" he asked when they were outside.

„We´re going to the movies." Shawn answered with a grin. „It´s been a while since we saw Silence of the Lambs."

...

Shawn explained to him what he had seen on their way to the cinema. It was almost five when they arrived at the cinema. They would have to look for the guy within the theater. If he was still there that was. Shawn´s suspicion was, that Mercer had a meeting with someone in that particular showroom. A business-partner maybe. Maybe even his soon to be murderer. He didn´t think it would be his girlfriend. No one took his girlfriend to the cinema when Silence of the Lambs was the choice. Except they had both a very weird idea of romantic atmosphere.

When they entered the cinema hall Hannibal Lecter was just about to tell young Clarice Starling how to look on the case the right way, that there were things right in front of her and she wouldn´t see it.

„_What does he do this man you seek?" _Hannibal asked her to help her find the right track.

„I´m not comfortable with this, Shawn." Gus whispered. „Looking for a bad guy like this."

„Gus, don´t be such a critic." Shawn whispered back at him and pointed at the screen. „She obviously had no choice but to ask for his help. The man was a genius after all."

„I´m talking about us, Shawn." Gus replied. „We have no idea who we are looking for."

„I think I have a pretty good idea." Shawn mumbled. He had spotted a bald guy in the third row from behind. He showed Gus the man.

„How do you know it´s him?" Gus wanted to know. But this time Shawn couldn´t give him an answer. He didn´t know it himself. Not exactly at least. It was not that there was much at choice. The rows weren´t even halfway filled. But there was something about that guy that intrigued Shawn even though he couldn´t say what it was. It was just one of those feelings he sometimes got and that got the closest to real psychic visions. He made his way into the row right behind him, closely followed by Gus.

„_What needs does he serve by killing?"_ Hannibal Lecter asked Clarice on screen.

Shawn put his finger to his mouth to show Gus to say nothing and sat down behind the guy. He was indeed bald. Not a single hair on his head. He wore a jacket. Jeans, pretty old but still somehow stylish. A man had to believe that a jacket like that was stylish to keep it that long, Shawn thought. He could see a tiny scar behind the guys ear. Otherwise he couldn´t see anything in this diminish flickering light of the cinema. Maybe he should have taken the row before him, he mused. So he would have been able to see his face. But now he was back here and he had to think of something. So he did the only thing that came to his mind and that seemed to make sense. He pushed the guy in the back. And not just a little. He pushed him hard enough to almost make the guy fly onto the seat before him. Gus threw him a shocked glance.

„Are you crazy?" he asked and when the guy turned to them angry and grumbling, he said in the sweetest and most polite way he had: „I´m very sorry, sir. He has mistaken you with a friend of ours. It´s quiet funny, you know. You really look just like him. At least from behind. But obviously you are not, so … we apologize."

Shawn took the man´s appearance in as fast as he could. A strong face, heavy bone structure, thick nose. Nothing special though. He´d never seen him before. Still there was something about him that seemed familiar. Something that wanted to be detected but was hidden a little too good. The man looked at them grimly but then decided, that he could accept the apology without hurting them. He sat back down and made himself comfortable again.

„Dude. What the hell are you doing?" Gus demanded to know.

„I don´t know." Shawn answered. „But I might do it again."

„What? No, you won´t." Gus hissed and grabbed his arm so he couldn´t repeat this stupidity.

„Dude. I need to see him again. There is a clue on him somewhere. I … I just didn´t get it yet."

„You don´t even know if that is the right guy, Shawn."

„Trust me, Gus. It is the right guy."

The man had now enough of their whispering and stood up to sit down farther away from them. It didn´t seem that he had understood their whispering. It had just disturbed him by watching the movie. Maybe he really was just here to watch the film, Shawn mused. But that wasn´t the point anymore. The point was, that this clue that refused to come to him. He just had to know what it was. So he got up and followed the guy, despite Gus´ try to hold him back. Halfway down the rows, Gus gave up and just refused to follow him. So Shawn sat behind the guy alone this time. He prepared himself, knowing that at least in one point Gus was right. The guy was one hell of a tower. But he needed to see him. So he pushed him again. The guy swirled around, pissed as hell.

„Harry!" Shawn cried with the widest most childish grin he had in petto. „Just because you owe us two hundred bucks you don´t need to pretend you wouldn´t know us anymore."

While he said this he took in everything he could spot on the guy. There was something on his jacket. But in the moment he´d spotted it, the guy turned to Gus, to see if this whole joke was for real or if he truly should crack a skull to finally have his peace in this cinema. When he saw Gus grinning at him apologetic, he grumbled in an angry manner and walked – no stamped off, to sit down in the first row. Far away enough from these jokers.

„Are you satisfied now, Shawn?" Gus asked.

But Shawn didn´t listen. Suddenly he knew why he had been so intrigued by that guy. The collar of his jeans jacket. There was a piece missing, wasn´t it? That´s what he had seen just before the guy had turned to Gus. He was sure he´d seen that. But no, he couldn´t be absolutely sure. The light in here was flickering and it could have been a shadow. But he had to be sure. One hundred percent.

„I need to see him again." he told Gus, but was held back.

„How often do you need to come close to a beat up, before you back off?" Gus asked.

„Just one more time." Shawn promised and slipped out of Gus´ grip. He hurried out of the row and down the stairs.

„Shawn." Gus tried to call him back but he was already too far ahead. Something had started to flash up in his mind. Images of photos and reports he had read three months ago. Something about a piece of jeans cloth. He just had to know.

He´d reached the first row when Gus caught up with him. And this time he wouldn´t let go and allow him to run into that guy. Shawn struggled against his grip, tried to convince him to let him go, that he needed to see the guy one last time, but Gus had enough. He had no intention of getting beaten up because of Shawn. Funny enough, on the big screen Hannibal Lecter was just beating the living crap out of his prison guards to escape. Maybe that increased Gus´ efforts of holding Shawn back.

But it was useless anyway. The guy had spotted them by now and of course he knew that they had followed him. Now he had enough. He stood up and walked over to them, definitely not amused.

„Hey. Buddy." Shawn cried. „Imagine. I pushed a guy back in the last row because I thought it was you."

The man – now Shawn was sure it was Alan Mercer – just kept walking up to them. He really looked pissed by now. There was no joke that could convince him now that everything was just a mistake. Gus let go of Shawn and shoved himself behind his back.

„What the hell do you guys want from me?" Mercer demanded to know.

Now he was close enough for Shawn to see his jacket. There was truly a piece missing in the collar. The exact shape of the piece of cloth that had been found in Victoria´s hand. The suspicion wasn´t just a suspicion anymore. It was a proven fact now. This guy was one of the men who had raped and killed Lassie´s ex-wife three months ago. And when he was, then the others were too. Someone had started to hunt down and kill the guys who had killed Lassie´s wife.

„I know who you are." Shawn said when this revelation hit him. The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. Mercer´s reaction was not pleased.

„What does that mean?" he asked with a threatening voice.

„It means nothing." Gus tried to convince him but of course he failed. Shawn was still staring at Mercer with this morbid fascination that had grabbed him. This was one of the guys that had killed Lassie´s wife, was all he could think of. Even when Mercer came closer, he wasn´t able to back off.

Mercer obviously took his staring for accusation and assumed – absolutely right by the way – that Shawn knew what he had done. And he did what one could expect from a criminal and murderer to do in this case. He pulled a knife out of his pocket.

Gus skipped back and would have run if Shawn had done the same thing. But Shawn was still just staring at Mercer. Not that he didn´t notice that it would be a very good idea to run right now. Hell, of course he knew that. Only for some reason his legs wouldn´t move. There was still this thought in his head that kept sticking there. Someone had hunted down and killed the guys who had murdered Lassie´s wife. Someone.

„Shawn, for gods sake, run!" Gus cried.

Now Mercer was almost at him and finally Shawn woke up. But too late. He saw the blade flashing in the light, when Mercer came down on him. He tried to skip back but still far too slowly to make it in time if the guy was coming after him. Fortunately it didn´t come that far. A shot rang out through the darkness of the cinema and Mercer fell down, a look of surprise on his face. The few visitors of the show started to scream. Shawn looked down on Mercer and he knew, not just guessed, he knew that this first bullet had already killed him. And with that the third murderer of Victoria Lassiter had met his judge.

_What needs does he serve by killing?_ Hannibal Lecter´s words came up in Shawn´s memory again.

He had no idea why, until he saw Lassiter stepping out of the shadows and into the flickering light that was cast by the screen. He was still aiming at the man that lay on the ground.

„Are you all right?" he asked Shawn and Gus. When they just stared at him wide eyed, he assured them: „Don´t worry, I got him."

„You didn´t just get him." Gus objected out of breath. „Man, you killed him."

Lassiter didn´t give a response. He just holstered his gun and looked down on Mercer again. There was something in his eyes that looked like glee. Shawn had seen similar looks in Lassiter´s eyes before but never when he had seen it, it had been about a dead man. This look just wasn´t right. It was a look of joy and it shouldn´t be there. Because Lassiter wasn´t supposte to know who he just shot.


	4. Never shell I doubt thy

**Never shell I doubt thy – but sometimes I can´t help**

Shawn left the interrogation room. He had written his statement down and signed it. So had Gus and of course Lassiter. Shawn had tried to stick to simple facts. That he and Gus had followed that guy, who they had suspected to be the shooter of their two victims. They had tried to get a better look at him in the cinema and when he had tried to attack them with a knife, Lassiter had shot the man to save them. Only that Shawn wasn´t so sure anymore if that was the whole truth.

He had written it down that way and he had signed that. But he had seen Lassiter´s eyes in that cinema. He had seen what he´d felt after shooting that man. He hadn´t even yelled freeze, the way he always did and how a cop had to do such things. This time he´d just shot and he hadn´t just shot him, he had killed him with his first bullet. Lassiter was too much of a good shooter to let Shawn believe only the slightest moment, that this had been an accident. If he would have wanted to only disarm the guy he would have shot him in the shoulder or anywhere. But he had shot him in the back right where the heart was. He had meant to kill him with this shot. And this meaning had still been in his eyes when he´d come to them and Shawn had been able to see the detective´s eyes. It was pride he had seen there and joy. The pure joy of a predator that had finally gotten his prey.

He reached the bullpen and Lassiter came in his direction. Their eyes met for a moment and Shawn was sure he saw something in those eyes that looked like satisfaction. Then Lassiter turned right and headed for his desk. Shawn spotted the chief who stood in the door of her office. She saw him too and he walked over to her to hand her his statement.

„Thank you, Mr. Spencer." she said with a brief look at the paper. „The other witnesses have confirmed yours and Mr. Guster´s statement as well as the one detective Lassiter gave us. Seems the shot was justified. Though I don´t like it to have a situation like that within my department, I think we can all be glad that the situation is clear enough to close that case."

„Sure chief." Shawn replied.

She gave him an estimating look. „Is everything all right, Mr. Spencer?" she asked truly concerned. „You look a little pale."

„It´s nothing, chief." he assured her and gave her a weak smile. „It´s just the experience to be threatened with a knife in a cinema. Has too much of Scream 2 for my taste."

„I see." Karen said though Shawn could see in her eyes that she was not completely sure about the film reference. It wasn´t important though. The reason for his quietness wasn´t the fact that this guy had tried to stab him and Gus anyway. They got in situations like that every second week. It was that look in Lassiter´s eyes he didn´t manage to get out of his head.

Gus came his way and met him in the middle. „Hey." he greeted and he sounded as wrecked as Shawn felt. He had seen the same thing after all. „You´ve heard?" he asked him with a glance over to Lassiter´s desk.

„Yeah. The affair is done. No charges. That´s a good thing, isn´t it?"

„I guess so." Gus replied but even there he sounded uncertain. But maybe that was just Shawn´s imagination. Maybe it was just the same exhaustion Gus always had in his voice after they had faced an almost certain death, while following a suspect.

„Let´s go." Gus said. „I want to go home and have a nap."

Shawn agreed and together they left the station.

...

It was in the middle of the night. Shawn was still awake. Not that he didn´t try to sleep. He tried it for hours now. But still he couldn´t. He just couldn´t stop thinking about what he had seen in this cinema. He played it over and over again in his mind. He saw the guys jacket. The same jacket that Victoria must have ripped when she had been raped. One should think that a guy with some brain would get rid of a jacket that could connect him with a victim like that. But on the other hand … the little piece in Victoria´s hand had been very little indeed. Maybe the guy hadn´t even noticed what she had done. Or maybe this jacket had been more important to him than the woman he had raped and murdered. Either way. If Shawn had needed only one more proof that these guys who recently dropped like flies were the ones that had murdered Lassiter´s ex-wife, he had it now. But this conclusion led him to another one. And this one was even more unpleasant. They had tried to find out who was killing those men. Now one of them had been killed right in front of their eyes. A justified shot to safe their butts, the way he had done it so many times before. But was it really just that? Was it?

Again Shawn saw the look in Lassiter´s eyes, when he had stepped into the light. The shadows of the moving picture in the background flashing over his face, making it even creepier than it already was. This glowing of joy and satisfaction when he looked down on the man he just shot. He hadn´t even yelled freeze.

That was what gave Shawn truly a hard time. This missing freeze. Lassiter always yelled that when he rushed into some place. The man loved it to shoot but he never missed it to yell freeze before he did. This time he hadn´t done it. His statement said, he had had no time for any consideration. That he had come in when the guy had already lunged for them with his knife and that it could have been Shawn or Gus who would be dead by now if he hadn´t acted instantly. Good enough for the chief and internal affairs. And it would be enough for Shawn too if it wouldn´t be for that creepy look in Lassiter´s eyes.

This look gave him the chills every time he thought of it. Every time he closed his eyes he could see it. Damn he didn´t even need to close his eyes to see them. Sometimes a photographic memory was a curse. Never in his life he would have believed that Carlton Lassiter could haunt him with one of his glares. But now he did. And this glare hadn´t even been in his direction. He wasn´t even sure if Lassiter was aware about the fact that Shawn had seen this glowing in his eyes. But even if he was, would it make a difference? The answer was as simple as that. Yes, it would make a difference. Because if he knew, then there was still room for Shawn to believe that his other suspicion that had started to creep up into his mind, was nothing more than paranoia. That this thought that was penetrating his mind, was nothing more than a product of his hyperactive imagination, caused by this creepy look that he couldn´t get out of his head.

_What does he do this man you seek?_

Lassiter hadn´t come in just in time to safe their butts by pure coincidence, it said. He had known that Mercer would be in this cinema, it said. It didn´t say how Lassiter had known that, only that he knew. And it said, that Lassiter had more than just not regretted the fact that he had shot Mercer. It said that he had actually enjoyed it. That he had even planned it. That he truly hadn´t hit his heart by coincidence. No, not a shooting hotshot like Lassiter. It said, and that was the worst part of it, that Lassiter had wanted to shoot him to revenge his wife. That he had searched for revenge and had gotten it. And maybe not only yesterday.

_What needs does he serve by killing?_

Shawn rolled himself over in his bed as if he could turn his back on that thought the way one would turn his back on his bitchy lover. Only that the thought wouldn´t let him turn his back on it. It came after him and planted itself in his brain. Was it possible? Did Lassiter really do all this? Was he even capable of something like that? Shawn knew he had shot people before but that was not the main point. The point was that he would have done it on purpose. He would have hunted them down and killed them in cold blood. He would have murdered them. That was the main point. If he did it.

Shawn remembered how Jules had gotten the call from Lassiter that night at the game. He´d told them he would have no time to come to the game with them because he had work to do. But he couldn´t have known that there would be a body found that night. Except … Shawn tried to force this thoughts back and failed. He remembered that Jules had wondered where Lassiter had been so long for getting the warrant. Traffic, he´d said. But when they had come to the suspect´s house they had found him dead and the coroners report said that he hadn´t been dead longer than half an hour before they found him. Half an hour was more than enough time for someone – Lassiter – to make a stop on his way from getting a warrant and back to the station.

_What needs does he serve by killing?_

But no. That was Lassiter he was thinking about. The man was a cop. He´d do everything he could to catch murderers. He´d never murder someone himself. Some justified shootings in the line of duty were a completely different thing. He was no cop for nothing. There was barely a cop out there that had never been forced to shoot at a suspect and killed in the process. Shawn´s own father had done it too. He knew. He hadn´t told him but his mother had told him once. So the thirteen year old Shawn would understand that his father wasn´t mad at him just because he didn´t talk to him for a week. No, Shawn didn´t make the mistake to think just being able to kill made a man able to murder as well. He´d known Lassiter for five years and he´d never thought him able to kill in cold blood. That was the reason why it was so hard for him to believe that this suspicion could be real.

_What needs does he serve by killing?_

No, he told himself. It was impossible. He was just paranoid. That was Lassiter´s fault too. He had infected him with his paranoia over the years. Yeah, that was it, he told himself. It was just the stress. He´d thought about old Lassie´s state of mind far too often lately that he had gotten all up in his head. He just had to stop thinking about him for a while, he told himself. Stop thinking about it. Tomorrow in the daylight things would look completely different again. He would laugh about his own stupidity, he told himself. That he had actually believed something as ridiculous as that could be. Lassie a murderer? Not in a thousand years. Not even to revenge the death of his wife.

_What needs does he serve by killing?_

Around midnight he finally drifted off to sleep. In his dream he was in cinema again. But this time he didn´t just see Mercer how he turned on him and Gus. He saw Lassiter sneaking in long before they even got to Mercer the third time. He was hiding in the dark, where they couldn´t see him. Only that Shawn could see him. He could see him pretty good. Watching. Waiting. His hand on his gun. The commercial before the film was running on the big screen and for some reason it was playing a song of Tony Christie over it.

_As I rode into town with the sun going down_

_There was no one around, all the windows were barred_

_For they knew that I´d come, with my hand on my gun_

_And revenge in my heart for Maria …_

Only that in this version the woman´n name was not Maria. It was Victoria. _I did what I did for Victoria. My dearest departed Victoria._

Shawn looked around when he heard some people laughing behind him. A young couple was looking at the screen, obviously finding it hilarious what they saw there. Shawn looked at the screen and saw the house of the first victim. Lassiter came out of the front door holstering his gun while Tony Christie sang:

_Laughter, echoed across from the end of the street_

_There was the man I was burning to meet_

_And my mind was so calm and so clear_

_As I took my revenge for Victoria._

The screen changed and now Lassiter was at the place of the second victim. A shot was audible off screen.

_And he fell to the ground, raising dust all around_

_But I knew he was dead, long before he went down._

As second shot fell but it was not on the screen. Shawn spun around and saw Mercer falling to the ground, a look of surprise on his face.

_It was quick it was clean, made it easy on him_

_Which is more than he did for Victoria_

_When he did what he did, to Victoria._

_Take an eye for an eye, and a life for a life_

_And somebody must die, for the death of my wife._

_Yes I did what I did, for Victoria._

_I did what I did for Victoria._

And over these last few lines of the song, Shawn could see these eyes again. These eyes of a man that he´d known for over fife years. And in this moment they were not kind and soft anymore. They were full of hate and rage. Full of pure bloodlust. And they were now looking straight at him. Shawn woke up with a scream. A short one but a scream. He´d never been so relieved to find that he´d only dreamed.

...

After his nightmare had woken him, Shawn hadn´t been able to sleep any longer. Fortunately it had been five in the morning and the daylight had started to get brighter and brighter by then. So it had at least looked as if the night had been over. Though it hadn´t been enough to convince Shawn that this dream was completely random and insignificant. No. Therefore it had been far too vivid. But still. A dream was no proof for anything. But proof he needed. Somehow. For his own peace of mind. He just needed to know. But how? How was he supposte to find out? In the end he decided that it was ridiculous to muse about this question when he had everything he needed right there at the station. It was Lassiter after all. The same guy he was working with these last five years. It was strange, but the more often he reminded himself on that fact, the stranger it sounded. As if he tried to cling to that fact for the dear life of his trust in Lassiter – exactly like the relatives of serial killers, the paranoid voice in the back of his head added and he pushed it back down at once. There was still no proof. But soon he would have his proof. And it would prove that this whole idea was ridiculous of course.

He intended to do it the simplest way that there was. By confronting Lassieface with it. No, of course he wouldn´t ask him if he murdered those guys to revenge his wife. There was still the chance that he was wrong and in that case he wouldn´t want Lassie or anyone to know that he ever had thought about that craziness in the first place. But he would tell him something. Something Lassie wasn´t supposte to know if he truly was innocent. And that was the simple fact that these guys were the ones Shawn knew they were. The murderers of his ex-wife. If things were the way they were supposte to be in a perfect world, Lassiter wouldn´t know about that fact and Shawn would be able to see that in his face.

So he walked into the station to do just that. He intended to head straight for Lassiter´s desk and get to it, before he lost his courage. But as soon as he was through the door and could see the bullpen straight ahead, his courage sank down rapidly. How the hell did he imagine to tell him? Hey, Lassie. Did you know? The three dead guys are the murderers of your ex-wife. The guys we never caught. Just thought you´d like to know. Great news, isn´t it?

No, that somehow didn´t work. Shawn´s steps slowed down more and more and when he finally saw that the chair at Lassiter´s desk was empty, he took a deep breath of relief. That was until a voice called him from behind. It was Jules but he jumped at his name nevertheless. She looked at him startled over his reaction.

„Are you all right?" she asked him. „You look pale."

„I … Yeah, I didn´t sleep so good."

„Oh, Shawn." she said empathetic. „Is it because of what happened?"

„I guess you could say so." he admitted.

„I´m so sorry. Do you need someone to talk about it?"

„I´d love to." he said. „But I´m actually here because I need to talk to Lassie." She reacted slightly surprised and he nodded in agreement. „I know." he said. „Seems this experience messed me up more than I guessed, hm?"

Now she smiled. „All right. He should be around here somewhere."

„I wait."

She was about to head to her desk when she stopped one more time. „Oh, by the way. Remember the picture you gave me?"

Shawn frowned. „Picture?"

„Of that old man in the car. We actually found a match."

„Who is it? An old war veteran?"

„No. A middle-aged thief and faker."

Shawn blinked confused. „What?"

„His name is Frank Keeler. Also called the Chamelion. He loves to disguise himself."

„And very convincing." Shawn affirmed still unable to believe that he hadn´t noticed the old man had been a disguise. „He really looked old and sounded old. Hell, he even felt old." She gave him a look and he explained: „I shook his hand."

„Seems he has a variety of charges against him." Jules went on. „He is wanted by the FBI because he´s smuggling over the stateborders. Even in Mexico."

„Mexico?"

„Yeah. Seems he stole that car you saw him in down there. If you ask me it´s more than just bold to drive around with it like that. This guy seems to think he is untouchable. Well, he has good reasons. He was never caught before. There were always others who had to go to prison for what he did. The guys who are after him would kill to finally get him."

Maybe not just them, Shawn added in silence.

„Do you think he has anything to do with the murders?" Jules asked him.

„Hm? Oh, I´m … I´m not sure. It could have been coincidence that he came by just now. But if I get anything, I´ll tell you."

„Okay."

„Tell what?" came Lassiter´s voice from behind him. He was so close to his ear that Shawn jumped.

Jules and Lassiter both frowned at his reaction.

„Hi, Lassie." Shawn managed to say with a forced smile while he tried to slow down his heartbeat for the second time today.

„Spencer, what are you doing here again?" Lassiter asked and frowned at him when he noticed the sweat on his forehead. „Are you all right?" he asked confused.

„Sure." Shawn said quickly. „I´m fine."

„You don´t look fine." Lassiter replied.

„Thanks, Lassie." Shawn found his steady voice again. „You´re very sexy too."

Lassiter just rolled his eyes and went over to his desk. Shawn followed Jules with his eyes for a moment when she walked away to store a file or whatever. He felt as if he was left behind to face the dragon all on his own. But then he followed Lassiter to his desk.

„I just thought you might need some sleep." the head detective said now, sounding almost apologetic until he added: „You look wasted."

„I didn´t sleep much last night." Shawn admitted trying to find a way to say what he came for. „I was thinking. Mostly about you actually."

Lassiter looked up at him puzzled. Shawn hurried to explain himself. „About the case I mean."

„What about it?" Lassiter asked now bored again over this old song.

„You know the guy you shot yesterday." Shawn started watching Lassiter´s reaction closely. But so far there was nothing. He just looked back at him waiting for what he would say. „I had a vision about him in that cinema." Now Lassiter didn´t only roll his eyes but also lay his head into his neck. „I saw a piece of cloth." Shawn went on. „It was missing from his jacket. And I saw that piece of cloth in a hand. A woman´s hand."

Now Lassiter was listening very closely to him. Shawn wasn´t sure if the anxiety he saw was because he heard that information for the first time or because he already knew it.

„I wasn´t sure what that meant." he went on. „Until last night. When I saw who the woman was that hand belonged to."

Lassiter stared at him as if he tried to draw the words directly out of his mind. Or was it tension because he was afraid to hear something from Shawn that he already knew? Now that´s the moment, Shawn thought. He had to bring it to the end. He said: „It was Victoria. Your wife."

He expected a reaction like shock in Lassiter´s face. Or maybe confusion about that reveal. Even disbelieve. But instead there was no reaction on the detective´s face at all. He just kept looking at him as if he hadn´t heard a single word he just said.

„He was one of the men who killed her." Shawn went on to get the reaction after all. He was disturbed when there was still nothing. So he just kept talking: „And I believe those other two men … belonged to the same group as well. I sensed that they came back to Santa Barbare for some reason not so long ago. Together. And now … someone is killing them. One after the other …Lassie? Did you hear what I said?"

„I hear you, Spencer." Lassiter said but he sounded as if he was talking to himself. Though his stare was rigid and, yeah frightening. Shawn started to duck away without noticing it.

„I also sensed that whoever killed them had a personal grudge against them." he tried to go on. „That the motive had to do with … revenge for something. I can´t see it very clear though."

„Revenge." Lassiter repeated looking at Shawn sharply.

„Yeah. I also see that there is another guy that belonged to that group. He is also here in town. I think he is still alive. For now."

„You do?" Lassiter asked with a gaze that was almost piercing into his eyes.

Shawn just nodded. Was that the reaction, he had been looking for? The eyes of a knowing man? In this moment he almost expected Lassiter to push him against the wall again, the way he had done it in the Psych office the day he´d gotten the call that Victoria was kidnapped. He could even feel the pressure on his throat again. Sure Lassiter would threaten him to keep his mouth shut the very next second.

But instead of doing that, he just asked him: „Do you know where this man is?"

For some reason this question as calm as Lassiter had asked it, was even worse than what he had expected. There was this strange gaze again. This glowing in Lassiter´s eyes. This need for something Shawn couldn´t name.

_What needs does he serve by killing?_

„No." Shawn answered the question. „You want me to find it out for you? I could devine it for you." he offered still watching the detective´s reactions.

Lassiter seemed to think about it for a moment. Then the look in his eyes changed and he stared at Shawn in a way as if he just understood what all this was about. He skipped back a little as if he needed a few inches more distance to see the whole picture. Then he said: „Tell the chief about your … visions."

„Really?" Shawn asked. „Are you sure that you want me to do that? So far no one else knows about that."

Now Lassiter really looked threatening. „What is that supposte to mean?" he growled.

„Nothing. Just … Well, I thought … after all that happened … you might want to investigate that on your own. You know like … oldschool."

Lassiter´s stare was penetrating. Then he said: „If this man is really the one you think, I wouldn´t be allowed on this case anyway. Conflict of interests. I´m sure you heard about it."

„Sure I did." Shawn agreed confused about the mocking tone Lassiter had used. „That´s the reason why I thought you might want to keep this between the two of us. Just for the time being, you know."

Something went down Lassiter´s features. A look Shawn knew. The detective had to keep himself from letting the anger out on him. He made a step for him and Shawn would have skipped back it the pillar hadn´t been in his back.

„Drop the subject, Spencer." Lassiter warned him. „I don´t know where you want to go with this but I swear to you, you don´t want to go there. So back off." He stared at him one last second, then he stepped back from him. „Tell the chief." he repeated and then just walked away.

* * *

><p><strong>Even though I´m pretty sure everybody knows that but for good mesure: I don´t own Tony Christie´s song "I did what I did for Maria"<strong>

**Thanks for reading and you also may leave a comment.**


	5. Decisions

**Decisions **

The second time in two days, Gus found his friend sitting in the psych office with a contemplative frown on his face. This in combination with what had happened the day before shouldn´t surprise him. But it was still Shawn and usually an experience like that didn´t shake him that much. The stress toy in his hand was wandering round and round. Something was troubling him, so much was for sure.

„What is it?" Gus asked him right away.

The frog stopped his endless somersaults. Shawn looked up at Gus, still deep in his thoughts as it seemed. He looked as if he tried to decide if he should answer at all.

Eventually he said: „I found a forth guy for our list."

„List?"

„This death list that is in the process of being worked off lately."

„Who is it?"

„Our friend the Knight Rider." Shawn said grimly and without any glimpse of humor in his voice.

„The old guy?"

„He´s no old guy. That was a disguise. Jules told me he is a thief and faker. And I also guess that he is one of the guys that killed Victoria."

„Are you sure? So now you know for sure that these were the guys?"

Shawn explained him what he had deducted from Mercer´s jacket. „I checked the report again. It´s the same cloth. It was him."

„Oh, god." Gus exhaled and sat down. „And this last guy is …"

„The last guy." Shawn agreed. „Literally."

„Wow. We better hope that Lassiter never hears that."

„He already knows." Shawn said. „I told him."

„You did what?" Gus cried and jumped out of his seat. „Are you out of your damn mind? Do you want him to kill that guy?"

Shawn cocked his head. „Interesting idea actually." he said. „Never thought about me being so manipulative."

„Shawn."

„Honestly, Gus." Shawn put the frog down on his table in an almost angry manner. „You don´t really think that he would do that. The man is a cop. That´d be murder. He devoted his life chasing murderers."

„That was before his wife was murdered." Gus argued. „Now he is seeking revenge and you know that. How did he react when you told him?"

„He told me to tell chief Vick."

„And did you do it?"

Shawn didn´t answer. He just looked at him but that look was enough for Gus to know the answer. „What?" he cried in disbelief. „Why didn´t you do it?" But this time he didn´t wait for Shawn to even open his mouth for an answer. „I tell you why." he snapped. „Because you know exactly what she would say. That suddenly his justified shot in the cinema wasn´t that justified anymore."

„Come on you can´t be serious with that." Shawn objected halfhearted.

„He shot the guy dead with one bullet." Gus recalled.

„To protect us."

„Really, Shawn?" Gus asked. „Then why didn´t he just shoot him in the hand? Or the leg. Or anywhere else, where it wouldn´t kill him." he looked down at Shawn with the look of a lawyer who was holding his summation before the grand jury. „He wanted to kill him." he said.

„We don´t know that." Shawn replied. „Why should he want to kill him?"

„Because he killed his wife." Gus cried, unable to believe Shawn´s stubbornness.

„He didn´t know that." Shawn went on debating.

„He didn´t?" Gus asked. „How can you be so sure?" Shawn didn´t answer. „Exactly." Gus said. „Even if he would have looked you in the eyes and told you that he didn´t know, you just _had_ to believe that he was lying. Just because he is who he is."

„He is a cop." Shawn recalled a simple fact.

„He is the husband of the victim." Gus corrected. „Wake up, Shawn. This is a classic story of revenge. I told you he would snap one day. Now it happened."

Shawn looked down for a while, pouting about the fact that he didn´t know anything else to say.

„Let´s just say I´d agree with you." he finally said. „What are we supposte to do about that? We have no proof at all. For anything. Do you want to go out there and try to find evidence that Lassiter – Lassie! – is a murderer? Do you want to? The man saved our lives at least a dozen times, Gus. Just yesterday. And it doesn´t matter if it happened on purpose or not but by shooting this guy, he saved us both."

„I´m not so sure." Gus objected. „We were hardly both in grave danger. The guy might have had time to kill you. I doubt that he would have been fast enough to catch me too."

„You would have run and let the guy kill me?" Shawn asked in disbelieve.

„Mainly I would run to get some help." Gus rephrased it.

„Dude, you are not very helpful right now." Shawn said and stood up to get himself a drink from the fridge.

„Neither are you." Gus replied. „If you ask me, I find it kinda worrying that you stand up so much for this scenario."

„What scenario?"

„Keeping our mouths shut while Lassiter is running around and killing people."

„Would you stop saying that?" Shawn cried.

„It´s the truth, Shawn. And I think you darn well know that. So stop pretending that you would believe otherwise."

Shawn took a sip from his coke. He had no more arguments left. On a certain point even he had to admit that there was nothing more to say. That a card house was about to fall apart when a storm was blowing all around it. And right now he had no glue left to save it. He walked back to Gus and wiped a hand over his face. Gus was still in his prosecutor mood.

„If Lassiter really did those killings," he said. „we have to …"

„What?" Shawn interrupted him rather fiercely. „What, Gus? What do we have to?" For a moment Gus was taken aback by Shawn´s desperate tone. „This is Lassie we are talking about." he recalled.

And suddenly Gus realized that he indeed had overlooked this little fact in his efforts to convince Shawn about his point of view. He had been so much into his arguments that it had become a pure fight for who was wrong and who was right. Now it came home to him what the whole thing really was about. Not just about the possibility that Lassie could have killed some guys. It was also about the consequences that would follow this possibility. This is Lassie we are talking about.

„I know." was all Gus could say in this moment. He was almost shocked over this sudden realisation. „This is weird." he said.

„It´s more than weird." Shawn agreed. „We are working with this man for years."

„Yeah, we do." Gus said. Suddenly he felt sweat on his face and wiped it away. „Oh, god."

„Yeah." Shawn agreed. He gave a slight chuckle. „Right. I think we could need God on our side now. Though I´m not sure if he cares. I mean … he didn´t care for Victoria either, did he?"

„Shawn." Gus said tired, not wanting a talk like that.

„I just can´t help but wonder …" Shawn said. „What would I have done?"

„What?"

„If it would have been Jules … that would have been murdered this way. How I would have felt … knowing what they did to her. I can actually understand him."

„No, Shawn." Gus said forceful. „Don´t do this. You are not like this."

„Lassie wasn´t either." Shawn replied. He gave Gus a long look. „Maybe no one is before he is forced to." he mused.

„No one forced him to murder those guys." Gus said. „He could have arrested them."

Another long look extended itself between them.

„So what do we do?" Gus finally asked.

Shawn didn´t know what to answer.

...

If there was ever a decision Shawn had regretted then it was the decision to help Lassie investigating this case. Not because of the helping him investigate part of it. He had done that to help him not to bring him down in the end. But that seemed to be what it would lead them to. And the worst part was that it seemed as if not only they had no choice but also no chance of turning back, even if they would have decided to do so after all. If they would find themselves able to just forget what they had learned and to let it happen without feeling guilty every day for the rest of their lives and waking up at night sweating and shivering. If they could turn their heads into another direction as if nothing had ever happened, in order to let justice somehow find a way without their help. In order to protect a friend instead of a murderer.

Only that their friend was about to be the murderer this time. He already was one. Three times. And now they were on their way to prevent him from becoming a murderer a forth time. What for? Would it change anything that had already happened? Of course not. These men were dead. He had fired the bullets and he had the blood on his hands. Nothing they would do could by any chance ever make that undone.

The only result in their actions right now could be that Lassiter, the cop, the head detective of the S.B.P.D. the always so dedicated crime fighter would be arrested and charged for murder himself. There was no other way out of this. Except they would stop right here and now, turn the car around and drive home. They could close the door and put on the TV for a while pretending that they were really watching the rerun of Cops until they fell asleep, knowing that they would not – not for a single moment – care for what they watched on screen. Only for what was going on out there and what they could have stopped.

But they would watch the episodes anyway. And the next day there would be another part of this case they recently worked on. The last one perhaps. That at least would be what they would hope. They would pretend to keep looking for the murderer and after a while the case would be closed unsolved because they of course wouldn´t find him. Because there wouldn´t be a murderer out there. They would just allow themselves to have a not solved case on their record for the first time in years and this time, also for the first time in years, Lassie wouldn´t mock them because of this. Because somehow he would know. He would look them in the eyes and there was no way that he couldn´t know. The way Shawn had known when he had looked into Lassiter´s eyes. The way things like that always found a way to the surface.

They would always see it when they looked at each other, but they would never speak it out. This secret what wouldn´t be a secret at all would hang between them forever, clouding over their working relationships as well as over their personal ones. All the feelings they had build up for each other over these years would change with that. The teasing would vanish, the fun … the trust. Maybe they would even stop working together for good just because they wouldn´t be able to stand this tension.

The two of them would work their own cases that came to the Psych office and Lassie and Jules would work theirs. Or wouldn´t they? What about Jules? Would she know? Of course she would. If not for sure then she would at least feel the difference. She would know, deep down beneath the surface of things. And even if she would never bring herself to ask the questions that had to be ask, she would someday decide that she couldn´t go on that way either. Working with a partner that had this dark secret hanging over his head. A secret that could at the end destroy them both. So she would find a way to get away, before it crushed her along with him. She would quit the S.B.P.D. and transfer to another department, if not even to another city. To make a long story short, everything they knew would fall apart. So what was the purpose on turning back now?

Lassie would get away. That was the purpose. He would get away with four maybe even understandable murders. He could keep his job and he could keep arresting really bad guys and keep the streets save that way. He could keep doing a good thing every day, the way he had done it before. The only thing he would have to sacrifice for that, was his life. The only thing they all would have to sacrifice for this greater good. But this life was lost either way, wasn´t it? They would lose him no matter what. So what was the purpose in turning back? The greater good perhaps? To keep this cop in his place where he could at least keep serving justice by catching real criminals, by protecting the ones who couldn´t protect themselves? Maybe that was a good reason. And maybe that would have been enough to live with, even if it would mean to give up all the other things they had shared over the years and that had made them a family somehow. Even then. Because somehow life finds a way of going on, even when people fell apart. When they estranged.

Maybe they would find a way to live with it. Maybe. If they just could take that decision. But for some reason not even that was up to them. Even if they truly could have decided for themselves that they wanted to accept all of this and just to turn back right now and here … they just couldn´t. It was as if some strange force, a force that didn´t know any mercy and didn´t care a ratsass about free human will and conscience, would make them go on … until the unavoidable end of all this.

No, they really had no choice. They were part of a play of gods and the dices were already rolling. No way to stop them now. No matter on what number they would land, these pips would make their future from there on. Their fate. Knowing that was almost enough to make Shawn want to cry out. He was forced to keep going if he wanted it or not and a glance over to his friend who was steering the car next to him, told him that Gus felt the same desperation.

In this moment when they followed Lassiter´s car down the streets, he wondered if they ever had a choice at all. If they had had a choice before they got in the car after they´d spoken to Jules and she had told them that Lassiter was on his way down to the docks to talk to a friend of Mercer. Would they have had a choice back then? If they had decided not to follow Lassiter. Would they have been able to? Or would this force that was now driving them forward, have made them get in the car anyway? Or farther back. If they had known what they knew now when it all started. At this first crime scene in the night after the game? Would they have had a chance to turn their heads the other way?

Shawn had never believed in fate or in higher forces of any kind, despite his psychic charade he was playing before people for the last five years. But in this moment, sitting next to Gus in their small blue car, following Lassiter´s tracks like he was a criminal, thinking about all these things, he was afraid. Afraid of what might happen. Afraid of the chance that he might not be able to stop it from happening. He felt that something bad was going to happen. Maybe something worse than just an arrested detective Lassiter. For the first time in five years he felt as if he truly had a psychic hunch about what was going to happen. It was the worst feeling he ever had in his life.

„There he is." Gus stated quietly.

Shawn looked in the direction he had pointed at and saw Lassiter´s car parked in a row with some other cars in front of something that looked like a nightclub. One of those clubs where the dock workers went after their shift was over or sometimes even before their shift was over. Gus didn´t park their car in the same row like Lassiter. Imagine he wouldn´t find what he came for in this place and would go on to another. Then it would be better if he wouldn´t see Gus´s car in a place where it wasn´t supposte to be. So he steered around a heap of boxes what were in front of the building opposite of the club and parked there in the shadow. It was already late evening and the twilight would keep the car hidden enough for Lassiter to overlook it.

They got out and stood there, at the corner of the boxes for a moment, just looking over to the club. Music was playing in there and they could hear the voices of the men drinking and laughing. If Lassiter was in there, there was no way, he would shoot anyone. Not in front of so many other people. But on the other hand … he had done that in the cinema, hadn´t he?

„What do we do?" Gus asked as if he had guessed Shawn´s thoughts. Maybe he had.

„Dunno. If we go in there, he´ll see us."

„Agreed." Gus said and then tapped him at the arm, making him look to a window that was right above one of the parked cars. Shawn nodded and they sneaked over to it. Gus took his position to watch out while Shawn climbed onto the car´s roof to peek through the window. He looked around. Men were standing and sitting on tables and a bar. Some were playing billard or dart. The whole place was half drowned in smoke. Then he spotted Lassiter. He was lucky to have spotted him in time because in that moment when he saw him, the head detective took one last look around the place and then vanished through a door. The back exit door. Shawn gasped and jumped off the car.

„What is it?" Gus asked.

„He´s on his way out." he said. Gus´ gaze rushed to the front door. „No. Back there." Shawn explained and they started to make their way around the building. They really hurried. But when they came there, there was no one. Only the back yard. If one could call it that way.

„Are you sure he came out back here?" Gus asked.

„No." Shawn replied slightly pissed. „I saw him go through the back door of the bar. I guess there are some more hallways after that before he leaves the building."

„So maybe he´s still inside."

„Maybe." Shawn agreed exasperated.

„What do we do now? Go inside?"

„I … I don´t know."

In that moment they heard another door being opened. Not the door they could see from where they were though. Shawn pushed Gus and they ran to find the door. Before they reached the corner they heard Lassiter´s voice.

„Freeze!" he yelled and then there were running footsteps.

Lassiter shot his gun and Shawn and Gus froze in their steps. Had he done it? Had he killed the guy? But then they heard Lassiter curse under his breath and then they heard him running. A second later they kept running themselves. When they finally reached the corner the two men were both gone. They followed the only way they could have taken, a path that lead trough the stored containers that waited to be loaded onto the ships. At last they reached a crossway. In neither direction they could see anyone.

„What do we now?" Gus asked. „Split?"

„We have to." Shawn agreed even though he really didn´t like the idea. Not a bit. „Yell when you find him." he told Gus.

„Okay."

And with that they parted ways. With each step Shawn took away from the crossway, he felt as if he´d left the only help behind he had in this adventure. As if he had just deserted the last string to reality that could get him safely out of whatever dark place he was heading for right now. He didn´t want to go there alone, because for some reason he knew that it was him who would find Lassiter first, no matter how randomly they had picked the direction each of them would take. Because he knew that this bad thing, he had foreseen was about to happen very soon. Not to say very very soon.

He didn´t want to go there. Not alone anyway. He wanted to turn around and call for Gus to come back, that this was the right direction. He wanted to but he couldn´t. Again he found himself unable to stop. This force that was driving him was back. And it wouldn´t let go. Neither of them.

So he ran. He ran as fast as he could, despite his wish to get away instead of getting closer. He ran as if it was about his own life. And who knew … maybe it was. He was now running through the rows of containers and from somewhere he could already hear the sounds of the water. Then he heard the voices and he knew that he was there. Wherever this strange force of fate had wanted him to be, he was there. And he was here alone.

* * *

><p><strong>I write these stories because I enjoy it, but I like to hear what people think too. So be nice and write me a line or two.<strong>

**And thanks for reading.**


	6. The Worst Mistake

**The worst mistake**

Every thought of yelling for Gus the way they had agreed, was gone. He couldn´t yell now. If he would startle any of them, something might happen. Something he didn´t want. Instead he took his cell phone out in order to call Gus and tell him where he was. But before he even had a chance to do so, he heard Lassiter say something that made him jump out of his hiding place. He said: „Game over, Keeler."

These three words said in such a low voice was enough to let Shawn forget all his fear. He had to stop it and he had to do it now, before Lassiter did it a forth time. There was no time to wait for Gus. So he ran around the container and when he found Lassiter and Keeler standing there face to gun, he stopped in his tracks. Keeler was standing with his back to the wall of the container. Lassiter was ten feet away from him, his gun pointing at the man´s chest. When they heard Shawn coming they turned to him.

„Spencer." Lassiter cried surprised. „What are you doing here?"

„Hi, Lassie." Shawn greeted. „I was just about to ask you the same question."

„What does it look like? I´m arresting a suspect." Lassiter snapped.

Shawn looked at Keeler for a moment, and saw uncertainty in the man´s eyes. He was afraid all right and confused about what was happening. Shawn found it oddly confusing to recognize the old man from a few days ago in his face. The disguise had been really good. Then Shawn faced Lassiter again. The situation seemed awfully familiar to him and for a moment he was back at the construction side a few months ago.

„We´ve already been there, weren´t we?" he asked Lassiter. „Am I wrong?"

„What is he talking about?" Keeler asked confused.

„You shut up." Lassiter hissed at him.

„Am I wrong, Lassie?" Shawn repeated this time with more effort. He tried to hold the gaze of the detective, to let him know that he wouldn´t go away, the way he hadn´t went away the day on that construction side.

„Spencer, what are you talking about?" Lassiter asked.

„I´m talking about what´s happening here." Shawn shot back. „About what you´re about to do. What you already did. Didn´t you? Don´t try to deny it. I´ve seen it in your eyes that day in the cinema."

Now Lassiter´s features changed. From one second to the other he looked more tired than angry. It was the face of a man who´d had to learn that his secret suddenly is no secret anymore. Shawn looked at Keeler, musing how much he could afford to say out loud while this criminal was listening. No matter if he´d come here knowing that it could result in Lassiter´s arrest, he still didn´t want anyone to listen to all of this. Especially not this man, who was one of the group that had raped and killed Lassie´s wife. Funny, he thought. He doesn´t even look like a raper and murderer. But did they ever? Lassie still didn´t look like one. To Shawn he still looked like the cop, that had once tried to arrest him for knowing too much about a case, he´d tried to help with. Plus some more years in his features, some more grey hair and of course this caught and tired gaze, he gave him right now.

„You don´t understand anything." Lassiter said now.

„I don´t?" Shawn asked back with a side-glance at Keeler. „Then tell me what I miss? Didn´t you say yourself that you wouldn´t be allowed to work on this case?"

„I don´t care about if I´m allowed or not. I won´t let this piece of skunk get away with what he´s done."

„As the only one, you mean."

Lassiter gave him a strange look as if he wasn´t sure what he meant. Then he just faced Keeler again and said: „Yes."

Shawn immediately stepped halfway between him and Keeler. It was pure instinct to do so. He just felt he had no other way to stop Lassiter from pulling the trigger.

„Get out of the way, Spencer!" Lassiter yelled at him almost desperately. It was fear that quivered his voice. Fear to lose his revenge. Shawn´s heart sank when he heard that sound and saw the urge in Lassiter´s eyes. This urge to kill.

„I just want to know why!" he cried. „Why you killed them, Lassie. I mean … you could have arrested them. The Lassiter I knew would have done that."

Lassiter looked at him more confused than ever. Then his gaze changed once again to something that looked like pure fury. Shawn winced and was about to skip back. But in the next moment he understood the great mistake he´d made. Because all the sudden he had an arm around his neck and a gun pointing to his head.

„Let go!" Lassiter yelled and the same time Keeler yelled at him: „Drop the gun!"

This last order was exchanged between the two of them several times until Keeler cocked his gun next to Shawn´s ear and stopped the yelling that way. Lassiter went quiet and just stared at them. When he looked into Shawn´s eyes, Shawn saw nothing but worry. No bloodlust for Keeler. But anger nonetheless.

„Drop your gun, detective." Keeler demanded. „Or you have another death on your list."

Shawn tried to think about something he could say to defuse the situation, but the only thing he could think of was: I tried to save that guy´s life and now he´s threatening to kill me. Why was it that these criminals never appreciated it when he tried to help them?

Lassiter was now lowering his gun. He never left Keeler´s eyes.

„All the way down, detective." Keeler demanded. „Or better yet. Throw it into the water."

There was something in Lassiter´s eyes that said: No way. Not in a thousand years he would throw his gun into the bay. But in that moment Keeler made a gesture as if to pull the trigger and blow Shawn´s brain out. Lassiter winced and hurried over to the edge, still keeping his eyes affixed on Keeler. He hesitated one more second, an expression of pure hate in his eyes. Then he threw the gun behind him and into the bay. Shawn almost couldn´t believe it.

„Now let him go." Lassiter demanded with is hands raised.

„I will." Keeler said. „Just one more thing." And with that he took the gun away from Shawn´s head and aimed it at Lassiter. The shot echoed all over the bay as it seemed. Shawn wanted to cry out but instead he just watched, wide eyed and unable to believe what was happening right in front of his eyes. Lassiter flinched hard when the bullet hit him. Shawn thought he would stumble over the edge right away, but somehow he managed it to keep his balance. He looked down on himself. Shawn watched the blood wandering down his white shirt, soaking it until Lassiter´s whole left chest was red. Then he looked up at him. There was shock in his eyes. And disbelieve. As if he was wondering how this could have happened. A chocked cough ran up his throat and some blood trickled out of his mouth. Then his legs gave in, he stumbled over his on ankle and the next second he just fell.

„Sorry for that." Keeler said into Shawn´s ear. Then he released his neck and pushed him forward.

When Shawn looked back at him, he faced the gun. Keeler looked at him with an unreadable expression. „You don´t need to look for the car." he said while he backed off to the corner of the container. „It´s already gone. And so am I."

The moment when he turned away to run, Shawn swirled around and ran to the edge of the dock. He looked down but couldn´t see Lassiter. Dammit, why was that situation so familiar? He tried one last time to spot Lassiter and then he just jumped.

The water was cold but not as cold as it had been when he had jumped after Lassiter from that fisher boat out in the ocean. It was still warm from the sun that had shone on it all day long. Shawn was just glad that it wasn´t completely dark yet. There was still enough daylight left so he could look out. So he could find him. But he didn´t see him. He didn´t see anything on the water. That left only one conclusion. When Lassiter wasn´t drifting on the water, he had to be under water. Shawn hated that thought. He hated it for two reasons. First because it meant that Lassiter could have drowned already and second because it meant that he would have to dive now. He took a deep breath and plunged down. He barely could see anything down there. It didn´t make much sense to dive even deeper. The water was so dirty that he would probably lose orientation before he found anything.

So he went up again and started to swim. Lassiter had to be somewhere. Every now and then Shawn would dive again and swim some strokes under water. But with no result. The head detective was no where to see. He just couldn´t find him. It was as if he had vanished into thin air. But that was impossible. He had to be here. Somewhere. He just had to be there. He cried out for him in the hope that Lassie would answer him. But he didn´t. All his calling was useless. Still he couldn´t stop. He just had to be here. He´d only dropped and there were not much waves. How far could he have come?

Shawn kept swimming. By now his heartbeat was far too heavy for him. He was almost breathing for dear life himself. Still he kept searching. He had to be here for cry out loud.

„LASSIE!" he yelled but for real his voice was already broken.

It was no yell anymore, just a croaked and half choked cry. Water came in his mouth and he coughed, treading the water beneath him. He coughed and gasped and then, so suddenly he almost screamed, something touched his leg. No he hit something with his leg. He immediately dived down again, reached out blindly and when he felt cloths between his fingers he almost exhaled in relief. One short bubble of air escaped his mouth before he thought better of it. He had him. But he didn´t move. When he came up again, the detective in his arms, he looked into the face of a dead man. Pale and slack.

„Come on, Lassie." he talked to him under his breath. „Come on, buddy. We´ve been here before. Don´t you dare to quit on me now."

Lassiter didn´t react. Shawn started to swim. The landing was close. He dragged the limb body of the detective behind and when he finally reached the pier he pulled him out of the water, immediately starting CPR as soon as he had land under his own knees. He pushed his hands down on the detective´s chest over and over again.

„Come on, Lassie." he gasped. „Come on ´n help me a little."

He stopped for a moment and leaned down to listen for breathing. There was none.

„Dammit!" he cried and kept pushing. „You goddamn bastard." he cried. „Why are you doing this to me? One time wasn´t enough? Goddammit."

He looked down on the detective´s face and there was no change. He still didn´t breath.

„Come on, Lassie, you don´t want me to do this either, so breath. Breath for gods sake."

He pushed, almost like mad now. No result. Shawn got scared. With every push he got scared more. At last he didn´t care about anything anymore. It was already too long. He must breath. He went down and blew his own breath into Lassiter´s lungs. No result. He did it again. Nothing. The face he touched was cold as ice.

„You godforsaken bastard!" he yelled at him and started to push at his chest again. „You gutless coward. Wake up and face your responsibility, you hear me? You won´t get away like this."

He breathed into Lassiter´s lungs again. And again.

„You damn bastard." he cried. By now he was really crying. It didn´t help. Lassiter was still as limp as he had been when he found him. All his pushing and breathing didn´t change that. Eventually Shawn stopped pushing. He looked down on that pale face and felt more than just exhausted. He was frightened. His head was spinning. This couldn´t be real. Lassie couldn´t be dead. He couldn´t.

In his denial of a fact that was undeniable Shawn started to push again, but his strength had decreased already. He pushed and while he was pushing he started to sob. That couldn´t be real. It mustn´t.

At last he just didn´t have the strength anymore and he let himself fall back. He leaned his back at the pillar and just stared down on Lassiter´s lifeless body. The red cloth of his shirt looked dark and dirty now. But there was still no doubt about what it was. The blood from Lassiter´s heart. Shawn´s breaths were hurting his throat and the longer he looked at Lassiter, the more it hurt. He couldn´t believe it. Tears were spilling down his cheeks mixing themselves with the seawater that was still on him.

„Touching." a voice said behind him.

Shawn spun around and faced Keeler, who was standing there, just looking as if the whole thing was just a fascinating show. Shawn felt anger rising in him.

„You." he growled and struggled to his feet. He was about to jump forward but Keeler raised his gun with a warning „Ah-ah."

„You killed him!" Shawn cried.

„I did." was all Keeler said. He had a funny smile on his lips. „And not just him."

Shawn was confused but just for a moment.

„You see the reason why your friend couldn´t tell you why he killed those men …" Keeler started to tell him. „ … is because he didn´t do it. I did."

In this moment all sort of pictures flashed through Shawn´s head. The look in Lassiter´s eyes when he had shot the guy in the cinema. The look he had given Shawn when he had told him what he suspected. He had known, all right. But what Shawn had interpreted as a knowledge of murder had been something else. Now he realized that Lassiter had just been glad that he had had the chance to kill the guy within his line of duty. He had killed him, all right. But he hadn´t murdered him. He didn´t regret killing him. Maybe he had even enjoyed it. But he hadn´t planned it. Then he saw the look Lassiter had given him just before. When he had asked him why. The confusion. Confusion about what he was talking about. Then the look in Lassiter´s eyes when Shawn had stepped between him and Keeler. He had thought it was fury about losing his revenge. But now he saw it was fury because he was worried. Because he´d known how dangerous Keeler was. Shawn closed his eyes for a moment. How could he have been so blind?

„It had nothing to do with that woman we killed." Keeler went on. „I had my own reasons to get rid of those bunch of crap they were." Shawn looked at him again. Keeler was still smiling. „You know the funny thing is … I had nothing against him." he told him with a glance at Lassiter. „Or you. I wouldn´t have any business with you if he hadn´t insisted on tracking me down." he said. „And that though I killed the murderers of his wife … how crazy is that? But he did insist on arresting me for it … and of course I couldn´t allow that. As less as I can allow you to identify me." he added and aimed his gun at Shawn. „Again. It´s nothing personal. But this way it´s easier for me to stage your death. With you killing each other after you confronted him about all those killings. I guess you told your black friend about your suspicion against Lassiter. So he will confirm the scenario. And I will vanish." He gave him a somehow regretful look. „Sorry that it had to come that far." he said. „I really didn´t want that."

„Yeah, I guess so." Shawn snorted.

Keeler just nodded as if they would understand each other. Then he raised his gun. Shawn looked into that black hole that was aiming at him. Again he thought about the way that had led them here and how he had found himself unable to turn back the whole time. If he just had had a chance to do it. If he hadn´t come here in the first place. Lassie would have arrested Keeler. Nothing would have happened. If he hadn´t come here, Lassie would still be alive. And in this moment, Shawn wondered if he really had had no choice. What could have stopped him from turning back anyway? There was no such thing as higher forces. Only the good old free will. And this stupid free will of his had led him here tonight and it had resulted in Lassie´s death and now also his own. Shawn closed his eyes and felt the tears swelling behind his lids.

Then he heard the shot. The last one.

* * *

><p><strong>Almost done. Just one more. You may leave a comment until then.<strong>

**And thanks for reading.**


	7. Saying Goodbye

**Saying Goodbye**

„You. You killed him!" Shawn cried.

„I did." was all Keeler said. He had a funny smile on his lips. „And not just him."

Shawn was confused but just for a moment.

„You see the reason why your friend couldn´t tell you why he killed those men …" Keeler started to tell him. „ … is because he didn´t do it. I did. It had nothing to do with that woman we killed. I had my own reasons to get rid of those bunch of crap they were."

Shawn looked down at Lassiter´s body and then back at Keeler. „Money?" he guessed.

„It´s always about money isn´t it?" Keeler replied. He was still smiling. „You know the funny thing is … I had nothing against him." he told him with a glance at the lifeless Lassiter. „Or you. I wouldn´t had any business with you if he hadn´t insisted on tracking me down." he said. „And that though I killed the murderers of his wife … how crazy is that? But he did insist on arresting me for it … and of course I couldn´t allow that. As less as I can allow you to identify me." he added and aimed his gun at Shawn. „Again. It´s nothing personal. But this way it´s easier for me to stage your death. With you killing each other after you confronted him about all those killings. I guess you told your black friend about your suspicion against Lassiter. So he will confirm the scenario. And I will vanish."

Shawn wanted to tell him how wrong he was. That Gus would never believe this so called scenario. That he and Jules would investigate until they found out what really happened. He wanted to tell him that they would get him in the end. But he didn´t say it. If he did, Keeler might get the idea that it was better to get rid of those two as well. So he kept his mouth shut. There were too many dead people already. At least one too much, Shawn thought with a glance at the dead Lassiter.

Keeler gave him a somehow regretful look. „Sorry that it had to come that far." he said. „I really didn´t want that."

„Yeah, I guess so." Shawn snorted.

Keeler just nodded as if they would understand each other. Then he raised his gun. Shawn looked into that black hole that was aiming at him. Again he thought about the way that had led them here and how he had found himself unable to turn back the whole time. If he just had had a chance to do it. If he hadn´t come here in the first place. Lassie would have arrested Keeler. Nothing would have happened. If he hadn´t come here, Lassie would still be alive. And in this moment, Shawn wondered if he really had had no choice. What could have stopped him from turning back anyway? There was no such thing as higher forces. Only the good old free will. And this stupid free will of his had led him here tonight, had let him believe that Lassie was the murderer. It had made him doubt a man he knew for years. He should have known better. And it had resulted in Lassie´s death and now also his own. Shawn closed his eyes and felt the tears swelling behind his lids.

Then he heard the shot.

He flinched but he felt no hit. Had Keeler missed him? He opened his eyes and saw Keeler looking down on himself and then back up to him. Shawn had just two seconds to wonder who had shot Keeler before Keeler, though dying, shot him. He tried to jump aside but too late. There was a burning stitch in his side, at the same place where one would feel a stitch in the side after running too long. His hands grabbed the spot while he was still falling. In the moment when he hit the ground he heard someone calling his name. He just wasn´t sure if it was Gus´ voice or Jules´ he heard. Then he heard footsteps approaching him and when he looked up he realized that he indeed had heard both of their voices. They must have cried out his name simultaneously. Now Jules dropped to his side laying her hands on his hip and shoulder. Shawn winced again.

Jules cried his name. Then she must have spotted Lassiter because the next second she was gone crying his name, even more panicky than she had cried Shawn´s name. Gus was now with him. He helped him lay on his back, using his leg to bed Shawn´s head.

„Hang on." he told him. „The ambulance is on the way." But his voice sounded weary and it was shaking with fear. He had seen Lassiter´s body too and now he saw Juliet´s reaction and realized that there was one friend the ambulance wouldn´t be able to help anymore.

„What happened?" he asked Shawn. „I heard the shot. Shawn …"

But Shawn could only shake his head. His eyes were still closed. The pain in his side was too strong and so were the tears that still spilled over his face.

„I was wrong, Gus." he managed to bring out. Next to him he heard Juliet sob over her dead partner. Then he realized somewhere on the edge of his mind that she tried CPR on him, the way he had tried it before. „I … was wrong." he whispered. „It was Keeler. Lassie … Lassie didn´t do anything."

„Quiet, Shawn." Gus said worried to death. „Don´t speak. The ambulance will be here soon."

„They´re already too late." Shawn said and turned his head so he could see Jules who was bowed over the dead Lassiter, pushing and sobbing desperately. Exactly the way Shawn had done it before, until she realized that it was useless and broke down crying on his chest. Shawn closed his eyes again when another squall of tears escaped him.

„I´m sorry." he said.

His head fell back onto his friend´s leg. The exhaustion finally took its toll on him. He could hear Gus crying his name in fear, over and over again. But his friend´s voice became more and more muffled as if he got carried away down a very long hallway. Instead he heard the waves of the ocean more clearly now. The steady and soft rush of the water running at the beach, creating foam and soaking into the sand before it withdrew again. Then he heard the cry of a bird. But it wasn´t a seagull. It was a crow he heard. Confused he opened his eyes. Jules and Gus were not there anymore but he barely noticed that fact. What he noticed was the black bird that was sitting on the post of the pier. It truly was a crow. And it looked at him.

It opened its beak and croaked at him. The cry was loud and clear in Shawn´s head. Then the crow turned around on the post and just started. Shawn turned his head further to follow her with his eyes. She flew along the coastline, a steady ten feet over the beach. Where did the beach come from, Shawn wondered. There should be a bay and a dock but no beach. But still there was one. It was dark under the night sky and the water that washed onto it was black as pitch. A figure was walking along that beach. Slowly but steady. Shawn recognized him immediately.

„Lassie." he whispered to himself. Then he jumped up and cried it loud enough to wake the dead. Lassiter didn´t react. He just went on walking. Away. Now Shawn could see that there was a boat at the end of that beach. It lay there on a small pier. Waiting. It was a ferry.

Shawn didn´t know why but he knew he had to stop Lassie from reaching that ferry. That he would be gone forever if he wouldn´t make it in time. He was almost there. Shawn started to run. The sand beneath his feet was wet and soggy. His feet sank into it with each step and he had to struggle to keep running. It was like in those dreams where you tried to run and just didn´t make any progress. He made progress but slowly. Too slowly.

Again and again he cried Lassiter´s name. But still the detective wouldn´t turn around let alone stop to wait for him. He just kept walking away, heading for this ferry. The ferry that was here to carry the dead over to the other side. Shawn knew that as well as he knew that day was day and night was night. He knew it from out of the blue but the knowledge was as natural as anything else he had known so far in his life. He also knew where they were right now. At this place between life and death where some people claimed to have been just before they were brought back to life. Only that usually those people talked about a tunnel with light at the end. There was no tunnel here and certainly no light. Instead it was dark. So goddamn dark.

Shawn had managed to cross half the way to Lassiter, when he noticed that someone was standing there at the pier, waiting for Lassiter to arrive. It was a woman. Victoria.

Shawn´s heart skipped a beat. That was if his heart was even still beating. He wondered if maybe they both were dead already, while he tried to run faster. Maybe this ferry wasn´t just waiting for Lassiter but for him as well. Maybe this shot he´d taken in his side had killed him too. In some way that would be just fair, he thought. It was his fault that Lassie was walking along this beach after all. But right now he didn´t allow himself to think in that direction. The only thing he could think of was that he had to reach him before he was gone. Before he entered this ferry. This thought alone fed him with enough will power to overcome this soggy sand beneath his feet.

Lassiter had reached the pier now and was facing his dead wife. Somehow Shawn had managed it to reach him just a moment later. He was out of breath and his heart was thudding heavily in his ears. There had to be some life left in him when he had sensations like that.

„Lassie." he gasped. „No, Lassie. Stop. Please, stop."

Now Lassiter turned around to him but mainly because Victoria had looked at Shawn. His face was calm and his eyes soft and gentle, almost sad. „Go away, Spencer." he said. „Go back as long as you still can."

„No." Shawn gasped. „No, you´re coming back with me. Listen, I´m sorry. I´m sorry that I thought you killed those men. I had no right to think that, I know that now. But being mad with me, is no reason to … turn your back on … Jules and all the others too."

Carlton just shook his head. There was a gentle smile on his lips. „I´m not mad with you." he said. „And I´m not going back. I´m where I have to be."

„No, Carlton." Victoria said gently. „You _will_ go back."

He turned to her confused. „What are you talking about?" he asked. „I´m here now. With you."

She just shook her head, smiling at him. „This ferry is not here for you." she said. „It´s just for me. I waited here as long as I could. But now I have to go. You need to let me go, Carlton. And you need to go on living."

„But I …"

She just silenced him with a gentle Shhhh. „You can." she said. „There are people waiting for you. You should go back now. Both of you. Hurry. Before they stopp fighting for your lives."

„Victoria …"

„I know." she said. „It was never your fault. And I never ever believed that for a single moment." She smiled at him. „I never stopped loving you." she told him. „Everything will be all right. Now go back. It´s all right. Go back."

With that she just turned her back on them and walked up to the ferry with slow but steady steps. A crow cried from above and when they looked up they saw the bird sitting on the roof of the stern. Lassiter turned around and looked at Shawn. Neither of them said a word for a while. Eventually Shawn lay a hand on Lassiter´s arm and patted him gently. He was glad that he could feel the touch, that they were not just ghosts on this place whatever it was.

„Come on." he said. „It´s time to go back. They´re waiting for us. Both of us."

Lassiter nodded. It was obvious that he fought against tears. He turned back to the ferry one last time. Victoria was standing at the railing now, looking down to them. She smiled.

„Go back, Carlton." she said. „Go back and live for both of us."

He looked at her for a moment longer. Shawn heard him whisper his Good bye at her. Then they turned around to go back. In the distance they could see the pier under which they had died – or almost died. Suddenly there were plenty of people there and from somewhere there came a blue light flashing over the whole scenery. Behind them the crow cried one last time and then they heard her wings flapping when she flew over their heads. A bright light flashed up, blinding them both.

„Step back." someone said. Something pinched. „Clear." Then he heard a blow. Someone was pushing down on his chest. Shawn opened his eyes and started to cough.

„We´ve got him." the voice of a man cried.

„Shawn!" he heard Gus´ voice. Next to him there was again the demand to stay back and then another blow.

„It´s all right, Shawn." Gus told him. „You made it. Everything is gonna be all right."

Shawn looked up at him and his friend was smiling and crying the same time. Now he was nodding at him furiously, assuring mostly himself that it was truly all right. Shawn turned his head to look over at Lassiter. The paramedics were still gathered around him. The guy with the defibrillator was shaking his head now. They were giving up. Jules, who stood behind them, pressed her hand over her mouth and started to cry.

„Come on, Lassie." Shawn croaked. „Come on back."

The men in red and white started to pack their stuff away, ready to call him dead. Shawn kept his eyes fixated on Lassiter´s face. On his shoulder he felt Gus´ hand as if his friend tried to hold him back in case he should try to stand up. But Shawn didn´t plan to stand up. He just kept calling Lassiter in his mind. Come on you slowpoke. Lost your guts again already? _I´m_ here. Where are _you_?

In this moment Lassiter opened his eyes widely and a second later he gasped for air so loud that everybody around him jumped in shock. Shawn felt Gus´ hand cling into his shoulder at the unexpected sight. Jules opened her eyes and when she saw her partner alive her tears of grief changed instantly to tears of relief. She went down on her knees next to Lassiter, not caring if she was in the way where the paramedics tried to work. Lassiter looked up at her with a weak smile and she broke out into fresh tears of relief. Then he turned his head to look at Shawn. His face was still as pale as death itself but he smiled.

„Right here." he mouthed.

Shawn breathed a laugh at this. He felt terrible. He was wet, shivering with cold and his side where the bullet had hit him burned like hell. But he was alive and he thought that he might have never felt more awesome than in this moment. He rolled his head back so he was facing the downside of the pier again and so did Lassiter. They had made their way back. Together. Now the paramedics would take over.

Somewhere in the distance they heard the cry of a crow.

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry for that soppy ending but I just had to. You might tell me how ridiculous it is if you like.<strong>

**And thanks for reading.**


End file.
